Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Voluntary, willing: Describes an action or decision made by one's own free will, without any external pressure or coercion.
   • Spontaneous: Can describe an action arising from a natural impulse or inclination, without prior planning.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • Anh ấy đã tự nguyện tham gia chương trình tình nguyện. (He voluntarily participated in the volunteer program.)
  • Sự đóng góp của cô ấy là hoàn toàn tự nguyện. (Her contribution was completely voluntary.)
  • Họ tự nguyện giúp đỡ những người gặp khó khăn. (They willingly helped those in difficulty.)

Advanced Usage

• "tự nguyện tự giác": A stronger, more emphatic phrase meaning "voluntarily and consciously." It implies not just willingness but also a high level of awareness and understanding behind the voluntary action.
  • Sinh viên cần tự nguyện tự giác trong việc học tập. (Students need to be voluntary and conscious in their studies.)

Variants and Related Words

• Tự nguyện (verb phrase): Can function as a verb phrase meaning "to volunteer" or "to do willingly."
  • Cô ấy tự nguyện nhận nhiệm vụ khó khăn. (She volunteered for the difficult task.)
• Tự giác (adj): Self-conscious, self-disciplined. Often paired with "tự nguyện" for emphasis.
• Nguyện (verb - literary): To vow, to pledge. Shares the root meaning of "will" or "wish."

Synonyms

• Tự ý: Of one's own accord (can sometimes imply doing something without asking, which may lack the positive connotation of "tự nguyện").
• Tự thân: By oneself, personally.
• Tình nguyện: To volunteer (often used as a verb).

Related Phrases

• Lòng tự nguyện: The spirit of voluntarism/willingness.
  • Mọi việc đều xuất phát từ lòng tự nguyện. (Everything stems from a spirit of willingness.)
• Ý thức tự nguyện: Voluntary consciousness.

Related Idioms

• "Thuận vợ thuận chồng, tát biển Đông cũng cạn": While not containing "tự nguyện," this idiom reflects the power of willing, harmonious cooperation. (With a harmonious and willing couple, even the East Sea could be bailed dry.)

adj

1. spontaneous